Tuesday Conversation: Soccer Hall of Fame president has lots of goals in mind

Tuesday

Jul 28, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 28, 2009 at 2:38 PM

Two months ago, Jonathan Ullman became the president and chief operating officer of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. Since then, he has been familiarizing himself with his expanded responsibilities, including overseeing this weekend’s induction festivities.

Anne Delaney

Two months ago, Jonathan Ullman became the president and chief operating officer of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. Since then, he has been familiarizing himself with his expanded responsibilities, including overseeing this weekend’s induction festivities.

Question: What can fans look forward to from Induction 2009?

Answer: This year, we are honoring two exceptional players in Jeff Agoos and Joy Fawcett. There are very interesting parallels – both exceedingly skilled defenders, both associated with highly successful championship teams, and both known for making other players around them even better. People who attend Induction 2009 are certain to be inspired and exhilarated when they come to understand the amazing perseverance, dedication and performance of the inductees as well as the extraordinary accomplishments of their respective teams.

Q: What are your responsibilities?

A: I am the most senior executive of the organization, reporting to the board of directors. I am ultimately responsible for all programmatic activities, fiscal management, development efforts and overall administration of the organization.

Q: What has been the focus of your efforts in your first two months?

A: These last two months have been extremely busy as the organization prepared for summer visitation, tournament play and the upcoming induction. In addition, I’ve been spending a substantial amount of time becoming acquainted with key constituents – major donors and sponsors, local and state government officials, and other important partners of the organization. Strategic planning has been a major focus of our effort as we try to chart a path forward that ensures greater financial stability for the organization and enhances our impact on the growing community of soccer players and fans across the country.

Q: The Soccer Hall of Fame is about 20 miles from Cooperstown and the National Baseball Hall of Fame of Museum. How has the Soccer Hall of Fame tried to imitate the baseball Hall?

A: There is a great deal we can learn from the Baseball Hall of Fame. They are arguably the best sports history museum ever created and they certainly engage in some practices that we could employ. But it would be a mistake to try to imitate the model that has been so successful for baseball. The soccer Hall does not have the benefit of an internationally recognized brand, such as “Cooperstown.” Soccer does not have a similarly lengthy history, the household names or the massive fan base that has made the Baseball Hall of Fame an American icon for the past 70 years. However, soccer has different strengths. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. The cultural threads that connect people to the game are incredible. In the United States, no sport engages as many young people as soccer. Our challenge is to make the history of the sport and the Hall of Famers that we celebrate accessible to avid fans across the country, but also more relevant to the vast population of people who participate in soccer but do not yet possess a strong affinity for particular players or stories of the past.

Q: Do you have a background in soccer?

A: I was a right back when I was in second grade and, regrettably, saw little action. I like to believe I had unrealized potential.

Q: For the last several years, the National Soccer Hall of Fame has hosted the state high
school boys soccer championships. What is the status of the deal between the Hall of Fame and the state?

A: Our current contract runs through 2010. This is always a fantastic event – one of the highlights of our campus activities.

Q: What are your goals for the Hall? What do you want it to be?

A: Our overarching goal is to help soccer grow its presence in American culture. There are many ways to make this happen, including numerous activities that we currently employ. But we also envision a future in which the Museum is much more connected to the soccer public and of greater relevancy to those only casually engaged in the sport. This will require an aggressive online strategy and far more programmatic outreach to where people across the country play soccer and where the fans of the sport gather.

Q: What do you think of Upstate New York? Have you relocated to the Oneonta area?

A: Before moving here, I resided in Jersey City for 12 years. I enjoyed much about city life, but this has been a fantastic experience. It is a beautiful part of the world, friendly community and a wonderful place to raise a family. My wife and I feel quite fortunate that we’ve had the opportunity to experience all of this.